Suction cleaner



y 1934- L. w. PARDEE 1,960,063

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Feb. 16, 1929 Llowsd W. Pox-die fagueagtoar 5 jMMM 9 b to a: 2928.9

Patented May 2 2, 1934 .UNITED STATES PATENT ornca 6 Claims.

This invention relates to electric suction cleaners and has for its object the provision ofa portable cleaner equipped interchangeably with a plain nozzle and a brush containing nozzle, the latter being of the traction-operated type. The objects of the invention are'the provision of an arrangement of carrying-wheels operative for both nozzles, and facilitating the employment of the brush-nozzle when used with soft carpets.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing one of my improved suction cleaners provided with a plain nozzle; Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the same cleaner provided with a brush nozzle, the nozzle being shown in section; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 2, resting on a carpet; and Fig. 4 is a detail cross-sectional view showing the nozzle fastenmg.

The cleaner comprises a fan-casing 1 and motor-housing 2 secured rigidly together and provided with front carrying-wheels 3, 3 and a rear carrying-wheel 4, whereby the casing is supported with the common axis of the fan-casing and motor-housing substantially horizontal. The forward face of the casing 1 is formed at the center with a circular inlet opening 5, and is provided beneath that opening with a bracket 6, (preferably integral with the bracket '1 which carries the front wheels) having a rigid cross bar 8, parallel to the face of the casing land spaced somewhat in front thereof. The nozzle comprises a hollow member 9, having at its forward extremity a downwardly-presented inlet mouth 10, and having at its rearward part a circular portion 11 adapted to fit in the opening 5. Integral with the bottom of the nozzle is a slotted bracket 12, adapted to fit over the rod 8, in rocking relation, while carried by the opposite side of said nozzle, adjacent to the part 11, is to be engaged by the rotatable button 14 carried by the fan casing.

Interchangeable with the nozzle shown in Fig. 1 is a second nozzle 9 shown in Fig. 2 except that it is broadened to form a transverse brush chamber 15 adjacent to the inlet mouth 10*. Located in this chamber is a rotatable brush 16, adapted, in the present embodiment to be operated by the floor rollers 1'7, 1'? one at each end of the nozzle to which said brush is geared. Said rollers 1'7 are tangent to a different plane from that which is tangent to the rollers 3, 3, and 4. In other words-the rollers 3, 3 are wholly above the plane which is defined by the lowest portions of the rollers 4, 1'7, 17. When placed on a flat surface, as shown in Fig. 2, the entire weight of a rigid ear 13, adapted the cleaner is carried by the rollers 4 and 17,. although the rollers 3 are still present for use when the plain nozzle is employed as shown in Fig. 1. When used on a rug the rollers 3 help support the cleaner, leaving sufiicient weight on the rollers 17 to drive the brush but without submerging the nozzle unduly in the nap.

I find it desirable to locate the rocker axis 8 somewhat in front of the fan ofthe fan casin and to form the meeting surfaces of the nozzle and casing in a rounded or tapering shape adapted to come into smooth contact when the nozzle is rocked about the rocker rod, its proper position along the axis of the inlet opening being established by the brackets 12 fitting snugly between the brackets 6.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a suction cleaner, an operating unit comprising a fan casing and a motor housing, fioor wheels in excess of two journaled thereto and adapted to support the same, a nozzle having a brush, means for rigidly securing said nozzle to said fan casing, and rollers carried by said nozzle and operatively connected to said brush, the axis of said nozzle rollers being fixedly located so that the floor-contacting portions of said nozzle rollers are on a lower level than the plane defined by said floor wheels when the brush-nozzle is in place.

2. In a suction cleaner, an operating unit comprising a fan casing and a motor housing rigidly secured together with a common axis, ,a number of wheels in excess of two journaled to said unit and adapted to support the same with said common axis substantially horizontal, a removable nozzle detachable and rigidly secured to the exposed wall of said fan casing, a brush in said nozzle, and rollers carried by said nozzle for rotation about a fixed axis, the floor contacting sur- I faces of said nozzle rollers being located a slight distance below the plane defined by said wheels so as to support a portion of the weight of said fan casing and motor housing when the cleaner is in operative posit 1. v

3. In a suction cleaner an operating unit comprising a fan casing and a motor housing rigidly secured together with a common axis, a number of wheels in excess of two journaled to said operating unit and adapted to support the same with said common axis substantially horizontal, a nozzle projecting from said fan casing and rigidly secured thereto, and floor engaging rollers carried by said nozzle, said rollers having their peripheries extending a slight distance below the plane defined by said wheels and assisting in carrying the weight of said operating unit.

4. In a suction cleaner, a casing comprising a fan-chamber, a motor-housing and a collectingnozzle rigidly secured together with said nozzle at the front, a carrying-wheel operatively secured to the rear of said casing, floor-engaging rollers journalled to said nozzle, and other floor-engagat the front, a rotar brush in said nozzle, a pair of floor-engaging rollers carried by said nozzle and assisting in carrying the weight of said casing, operative driving connections between said rollers and brush, a floor-wheel operatively secured to the rear of said casing and additional floor-engaging wheels operatively carried by said casing in supporting relation between said rollers and said first wheel the floor contacting portions of said nozzle rollers being slightly below the plane defined by said wheels.

6. In a suction cleaner, a casing comprising a fan-chamber, a motor-housing and a collectingnozzle rigidly secured together with said nozzle at the front, a carrying-wheel operatively secured to the rear of said casing, floor-engaging rollers carried by said nozzle in supporting relation, other floor-engaging rollers carried by said casing between said rollers and wheel, the floor contacting portions of said nozzle rollers being slightly lower than the plane defined by said wheel and other floor-engaging rollers, a rotary brush in said nozzle and means for driving said brush.

LLOYD W. PARDEE. 

